In the news today: Canada-EU summit, U.S. midterms loom, Kutryk spacewalk

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …

Canada welcomes EU leaders to Montreal for talks on next steps in relationship

Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to welcome European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen to Montreal today after months of pursuing closer ties with the EU.

While membership in the EU is off the table, officials on both sides say they’re looking at ways to forge closer ties in the business, tech, clean energy and critical minerals fields.

Von der Leyen described the proposed partnership as “associate membership” in the 27 nation bloc, but some European leaders have rejected that term.

European officials repeatedly used the phrase “alliance for the future” to describe the relationship in a press briefing Tuesday — phrasing previously endorsed by Carney.

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The U.S. Congress is in play — here are the midterm races to watch

Tight races between Republicans and Democrats continue to heat up ahead of the U.S. midterm elections next Tuesday, and control of Congress is up for grabs.

Republicans hope to hold their slim majority to push what remains of President Donald Trump’s governing agenda, while Democrats looking to reign in Trump’s unprecedented use of presidential powers.

Democrats would need a net gain of four seats to win the Senate majority, which means holding seats like Michigan while also gaining others in states like Maine.

University of Pennsylvania’s Marc Trussler says the trade war with Canada has been a major issue in both Michigan and Maine, with Republican candidates arguing they are willing to push back on Trump’s tariffs while Democrats accuse their opponents of sowing chaos.

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Montreal police explain why it took a day to dismantle unit accused of misconduct

Montreal police say a patrol unit accused of racist misconduct remained armed and on duty for nearly a full day after investigators gathered enough evidence to take action.

Internal documents obtained by The Canadian Press show police had enough evidence about criminal allegations to act on June 11, but waited until the following evening to dismantle the 16-member unit.

Police say they needed time to find replacements, but have not said whether the officers, who worked in a multicultural neighbourhood of Montreal, had contact with the public.

The unit faced allegations of racism and criminal misconduct, including reports that officers cut the hair of racialized citizens and kept it as trophies, prompting the suspension of four officers.

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Kutryk to become fifth Canadian astronaut to perform a spacewalk

Joshua Kutryk is set to become the fifth Canadian astronaut to perform a spacewalk today.

Kutryk, along with NASA astronaut Anil Menon, will upgrade the International Space Station’s power generation system.

The spacewalk is scheduled for 8 a.m. EDT and expected to last nearly seven hours.

Kutryk is on his first mission in space and is expected to perform two spacewalks.

He is the first Canadian to perform a spacewalk since David Saint-Jacques in 2019.

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From spells to tarot: witchcraft stores brew sense of community among young Canadians

Young Canadians have found a new spot to hang out: witchcraft stores.

Experts say many esoteric stores in Canada are booming as people find creative ways to connect with their spirituality and find communities.

At The Witch’s Fix in Hamilton, Ont., customers can buy gems, spell kits and smoke bundles, and attend candle-making workshops or tarot reading sessions.

Co-owner Gabriela Rosas says she was somewhat surprised to see the business find success but felt validated.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2026.